164 Van Volxem

Project: 164 Van Volxem
Architect: VERS.A

Momentary association

OUEST architecture

Programme: Construction and transformation of an arts campus, where three cultural players coexist: the Rosas dance company, the Ictus music ensemble, and the P.A.R.T.S. dance school.

About: This one-hectare arts campus, a former industrial site (originally dedicated to laundry) located between Avenue Van Volxem and the Senne valley in Forest, comprises three cultural players: the Rosas dance company, the Ictus music ensemble and the P.A.R.T.S. dance school. Over the years, various projects and buildings have been added to the historic site. As the campus continued to evolve, the need arose for more storage space and additional dance studios, with the goal of integrating them into a masterplan to better organize the site and its surrounding landscape.

The proposal postulates the idea of an outdoor space as a support for the programme: a continuous garden descends and connects the constructed figures. The investment is in two new compact volumes, the layout of which is the result of a meticulous balance between a number of parameters: volume, size, relationship diagram, phasing, budget, etc. The first volume is dedicated to logistical functions such as storage and sets, and the other to new studios for P.A.R.T.S. Stacking the studios on three floors reduces their footprint to a minimum and leaves as much space as possible for the garden.

Existing buildings are being renovated, with great empathy for their intrinsic qualities. Preserving the character of the site is more important here than showing off new architecture. The old sheds, which benefit from zenithal light, have been preserved and are used for living activities such as rehearsal studios, offices and the cafeteria. A carefully thought-out phasing plan will ensure business continuity during the works.

The present submission relates solely to the newly completed tower dedicated to the P.A.R.T.S. Dance School. The rest of the site is still under development.